Technology trends, insights and news

September 17, 2006

Googling Washington, Again

Google has registered a political action committee, made a new lobbying firm hire and is co-sponsoring its first political fundraiser says yesterday's SF Chron...

Google filed paperwork Thursday to register its political action committee, Google NetPAC, with the Federal Election Commission. The company intends to use the committee "to support candidates who promote an open and free Internet for our users," according to Alan Davidson, Google's Washington policy counsel.

In addition, Google bolstered its clout by hiring former Republican Sens. Dan Coats of Indiana and Connie Mack of Florida as outside lobbyists. The political veterans may go a long way in building Google's ties with Republicans, a group widely considered to be the opposition based on the overwhelming preference by Google employees to make campaign contributions to Democrats....

...Google's push in Washington also involves co-sponsoring its first political fundraiser. On Wednesday, the company, along with eBay Inc. and TechNet, a technology industry group, will hold an event for embattled Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., at the Capitol Hill Club, a swanky Republican redoubt in Washington.

Naturally, most every large tech firm has their own PAC, but the Chron story notes some added, typical Google "iconoclasm" to theirs. For example, Google will give select employees "a voice in who to give money to and how much."

BTW, Roll Call notedmuch of the above in a Thursday piece. But, it also referenced that Google had hired DC lobbying and public affairs firm The DCI Group. (Mostly) because of DCI's reported ties to an anti-Al Gore video that mocked global warming, manyleadingbloggers went on the attack. Yet, the relationship is not a new one and hasn't exactly been a secret....

Adding to (Google's) arsenal is the DCI Group, a firm with top-flight corporate clients.... DCI, Google officials say, will help it establish links to Republicans, as well as promote its book search project, an effort to make the full text of books searchable online, among publishers and authors.

Google is seeking a Washington Policy Counsel to handle U.S. federal government relations and public policy issues in a dynamic and growing business environment. The Policy Counsel will work to advocate Google's public policy positions before policymakers in Washington in a way that reflects the goals and values of the company. Key issues will include those relating to privacy, content regulation, freedom of speech, advertising, Internet technology, intellectual property, telecommunications policy, and industry self-regulation and best practices. The Policy Counsel will be part of a closely coordinated global team, and will be expected to lead initiatives of central importance to Google's mission.

And, just because it's part of our jobs to read every new Google government affairs news story, following is a handy guide to notable media coverage for journalists and bloggers. We're not sure, but there may be a trend here...

Comments

In the spirit of full disclosure, I work on net neutrality issues, but these views are my own. I knew it would only be a matter of time before Google got into the PAC action. However, in reading the SFGate article, a quote struck me as odd. Google exec Davidson states, "Openness and innovation and free markets are values shared by both parties." I understand openness and innovation, but it would seem that Davidson is extolling the values of the free market. Doesn't Google's support of net neutrality imply a basic distrust of the free market system, hence the need for government regulation?

Great blog you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any forums that cover the same topics talked about here? I'd really like to be a part of online community where I can get comments from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Thanks!

I was curious if you ever thought of changing the structure of your site? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one or two pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?

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